This = that...hello!!

I went to see a matinee yesterday afternoon.  I like going to the theater to see movies because it’s a whole different feeling watching it on the big screen rather than watching it at home with distractions.  Plus, I love smelling the buttered popcorn when I walk in.  (Key word – “smelling”.)

This visit to the theater was SO disturbing for me.  I have NEVER witnessed such obese people in my life!  Most of them were waddling from side to side, limping around, scooting their feet, riding a scooter, or dragging an oxygen tank behind them!  No, this was not a Wal-Mart, but a regular movie theater in the Midwest.  God forbid any of them forgot to buy the BUTTERED POPCORN, CANDY, and a COKE!  Oh yes, they definitely had armfuls of that.

Now, let me clarify…I used to eat all of that.  Yes, the popcorn, candy, and a “diet” coke (?).  I finally woke up!  I understand now that the buttered popcorn, candy, and sodas = FAT!!!!  Pure FAT!!!  I choose not to have that become part of my body.  People spend multi-billions of dollars on diet and weight loss programs.  How about NOT spending a penny by NOT buying crap food so the FAT won’t be inside of you?

This may sound super harsh, but it made me mad and sad for people who just don’t get it and don’t care about themselves or us.  “WE” pay over $270 BILLION per YEAR from the effects of obese Americans.  Yes, we live in a free country and we all have free will, but come on!  Let’s make the correlation and be honest with ourselves…EATING FAT = BEING FAT!!!

Rant over…have a nice day!

   

Where's The Easy Button?

I had the privilege of staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis over the weekend as I returned home for a good friend’s wedding.  I was excited to use their incredible fitness center that included all the bells and whistles.  I had a fantastic workout and used almost every machine there, including the dumbbells.  Ok, I think I might have overdone it a little bit, but I took full advantage of their fantastic facilities while I was there.

There were about six other people working out at the same time I was there.  Unfortunately, there was a common theme.  NONE of them were putting in much effort into their workouts.  A couple of people were sort of just dogging it out on the treadmill; one guy was reading a newspaper as he slowly pedaled a recumbent bike; and one woman would do a leg extension, slowly flip through 3-4 pages in her magazine, then quickly do another one, flip pages, repeat…  That was the same woman who was yelling at her slow moving husband about why they needed to be there working out.  Another man whipped through every machine in only about 10 minutes.

I used to be guilty of this too.  I was just going through the motions and calling it a “workout”.  Not any more.  Now, I make every second of my workouts count.  Who has time to waste?  You need to break a sweat, grunt, scream, push hard, do whatever it takes to maximize your efforts.  You absolutely get out of it what you put into it.  Make it hard and make it count…go big or stay home.  It’s brutal, but honest!  There is no easy button in the gym.  What will be easy is looking at your results in the mirror.  

Sleep...Overrated?

Coffee has become my new best friend in the morning because I have a new love-hate relationship with sleep.  I love it when I get enough of it and appreciate it after I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start a new day.  I can think clearly, I look better, and I’m ready to burn some new energy with my morning workout.  Most importantly, it puts me in a good mood!  Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen often enough.  

I hate the fact that our bodies HAVE to have sleep to function!  We physically have to shut our bodies down, go limp, and put ourselves into a coma just to recharge ourselves.  Not having it, or enough of it, causes me to be crabby, stressed out, unmotivated, crappy-looking, lifeless, lazy, and depressed!  I feel like I’m going insane without it.  For god’s sake, Michael Jackson is dead because he was just trying to get some freaking sleep!  

This past year has been a real struggle for me trying to get enough sleep.  For some reason, I can’t get a solid 7-8 hours because I’m wide awake every 2 hours!  It’s been exhausting and has caused me a lot of extra stress.  I’ve taken Ambien for a year and have been trying to wean myself off of it.  Not only did it quit working, but I think it's addicting!

If you can get sleep, get it.  Feel lucky that you CAN do it when you get the chance.  Sleep is NOT overrated...we need it, we want it, and our bodies and minds HAVE to have it.  Now go get some ZZZs!

Cuckoo for Coconuts!

        

Coconut oil, that is.  It’s not just for cookin’ anymore!  Let’s face it, this winter has been a booger so far and has taken a toll on everything, including my skin.  I’ve newly discovered the ingredient to getting super soft and smooth skin…organic coconut oil!  Who knew?  I’ve searched for the right lotions for years.  I even went so far as to go to bed lathered in baby oil, vaseline, and “extra healing” expensive skin fixers that I’ve purchased…all not recommended.  It comes solidified, but becomes liquefied from the heat of your hands and skin once you rub it in.  It’s fantastic for all your girlie and guy “parts” and I’m even tempted to use it as a deep conditioning treatment for my hair. 

According to the Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil - It can help bring back a youthful appearance and aids in removing the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smoother. The skin will become more evenly textured with a healthy "shine".  While doing, this the coconut oil will penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and strengthen the underlying tissues.  Coconut oil will not only bring temporary relief to the skin, but it will aid in healing and repairing.  It will have lasting benefits, unlike most lotions. 

An added bonus is the smell!  I feel like I’m on vacation every time I put it on.  I love it…and now I’m cuckoo for it...among other things!  J